Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Feb 2023 Book Group discussion

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McGoohan
McGoohan
Feb 2023
7:50pm, 5 Feb 2023
52,394 posts
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McGoohan
On completing FGTs, I looked at what critics and other readers had thought over the years and from that I picked up quite a few valid-enough criticisms.

1. The main one is that the book rather washes over what it was really like to be black in the southern states of the USA in the 1930s. That the smiles and friendship offered by the maids and train conductors were more out of self-preservation than the author’s memories of genuine affection.

2. Despite winning a GLAAD award for the portrayal of same-sex relationships, the book is very coy about the nature of the relationship between Ruth and Idgie. (The movie adaptation comes in for a lot more criticism on that front.) Again, it’s a sanitised picture of what it must really have been like to be same-sex attracted in the 1930s.

3. You could criticise the structure as well. We get the overarching framework of Evelyn being told these stories by Ninny, interspersed with the ‘Weems’ cuttings. But Fannie Flagg has her cake and eats it here, because she also exists as an omniscient third person narrator to fill in all the details and twists that Ninny couldn’t possibly know.

4. It is also often seen as overly-sentimental, a rose-tinted view of a harsher time.

Off the back of all that, I would think a lot of readers would give this novel quite a low to middling score. On a different day, maybe I would too. I perfectly understand if that’s how others score it.

However, I can tell you now that I loved it from start to finish. I’ve scored it 10/10 because I got that rare feeling at the end: bereft that it was over and wanting to spend more time with these characters.

I think switching between Evelyn listening to the stories to the Weems Weekly News to the omniscient narrator actually works very well. Instead of every part of every life being told in a linear way, we get a series of vignettes that do a very good job of character-building and plot-advancing.

In terms of plot, she also does a very good job of planting things that won’t pay off until quite a lot later. As such we get some well-drawn minor characters too such as Smokey Lonesome and the twins Artis and Jasper.

Top pick Night-owl and a welcome change of direction - about a 180 degree turn in fact – from the previous month’s book.
LindsD
LindsD
Feb 2023
10:42am, 10 Feb 2023
59,893 posts
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LindsD
Well. This was just lovely. As I posted in the thread, I nearly stopped reading right at the start because Ninny reminded me of my Mum. But I'm so glad I didn't. Compelling tale, told well, great characters with just a little bit of exaggeration. I loved the device of switching back and forwards and looked forward to the Dot Weams parts. It reminded me a bit of Garrison Keillor, who I used to love. See also Armistead Maupin.

The really clever bit, I thought, was the subtle indications to the reader of the racism and attitudes to women, gay people, disabled people, and the changes in society from the 20s to the 80s. Also the political and social changes. And the depiction of the Great Depression.

Thank you, Owlie. This was a really fabulous read. I want to see the film now, and I wonder whether her other books are as good. I gave it a 9.
LindsD
LindsD
Feb 2023
10:47am, 10 Feb 2023
59,894 posts
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LindsD
Looks like I just said the exact opposite of the critics McG posts above. I don't agree about the smiles and friendship bit. I thought it came across really well that it was mostly about self-preservation.

Maybe the same-sex attracted bit is true.

But yes, I agree with you, McG. I was also bereft when it was over. I knew that Ninny was going to die, but was still really outraged when it happened. How could FF do that to me? Why didn't she get to see Evelyn transformed? Just a fab book that I shall recommend.
McGoohan
McGoohan
Feb 2023
11:07am, 10 Feb 2023
52,414 posts
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McGoohan
I haven't read much Garrison Keillor but I see what you mean about Armistead Maupin. Not only is he quite 'vignette-y' but like Fannie Flagg I always think he really *likes* his characters.

Liebling is now reading it and has already cried once (Buddy karking it early on) :-)
LindsD
LindsD
Feb 2023
8:19pm, 10 Feb 2023
59,897 posts
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LindsD
Yes exactly re. liking characters.

Buddy got me, too.

And I loved the twist of who killed Frank. I didn't see it coming.
Columba
Columba
Feb 2023
9:42pm, 10 Feb 2023
22,117 posts
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Columba
Within a few pages of starting this book, my heart sank as I realised this is yet another book with a huge cast of characters with complex interrelationships and furthermore going back and forth in time, necessitating paper-and-pencil in order to list and keep track of everybody. By about half-way through I'd more-or-less fixed them all in my mind, however.

Well, yes. Feel-good; all the tarts have hearts of gold, the rich-and-successful are mean and get their come-uppance. Sorry, I seem to be getting very critical and cynical in my old age. The recipes at the end might have been titled "how to rot your arteries in 10 easy meals".

Oh dear. Let's read back and see what everyone else thinks.
Columba
Columba
Feb 2023
9:49pm, 10 Feb 2023
22,118 posts
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Columba
Read back.
Yes, Linds, I liked that twist too. And hadn't seen it coming. I assumed it must have been Idgie.
I did like Idgie, I must admit. I also liked the Weems Weekly bits. Very dead-pan.
Night-owl
Night-owl
Feb 2023
9:22pm, 12 Feb 2023
41,399 posts
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Night-owl
Hello thank you for reading my book.

No I'm not Fannie Flagg but my choice.

Maybe I'm a sad person but months and months ago seeing this book in Waterstones. Thinking I'd like to read that. But also next time I'm chosen for book group I'd like to choose this one.

Of course I remember the film I was working in the cinema then and I loved the film then.
I don't have favourites but it's got to be amongst them really loved Jessica Tandy.
Of course memory can play tricks on you will it be as great 32 years on.

Also book vs film is it going to be as great or better.
I remembered some bits but had forgotten lots. I loved it and glad I have read it

I loved the different timeliness. The Dot Weems newsletters.

Only I got to the end. Yes the wordsThe End
Oh it's finished. Wonder how Evelyn is doing now
Night-owl
Night-owl
Feb 2023
9:26pm, 12 Feb 2023
41,400 posts
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Night-owl
Ah Columba I did think as I started the book this has a lot of characters will you be OK with this sometimes I get awash with characters
Columba
Columba
Feb 2023
12:27pm, 18 Feb 2023
22,121 posts
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Columba
Awash with characters, yes indeed. Reservoir 13 (or whatever number it was) was the same.

About This Thread

Maintained by McGoohan

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by *checks notes* Fannie Flagg ... really? That's an actual name is it? Okay* - anyway, the aforementioned novel is the Book Group's February 2023 choice as chosen by Night-owl. The author also got an Oscar nomination for her own adapted screenplay in 1992 for the movie adaptation.

However, what I want to know is - WHY DON'T THEY WAIT UNTIL THE TOMATOES ARE RIPE? Can you even eat them when they're green? Will they poison you? Maybe that will turn out to be at the heart of the murder mystery therein?

Throw your thoughts like tomatoes at a government minister, below.

*Reader, her actual name is Patricia Neal. As she was an actor and comedian long before she was an author and there was already a Patricia Neal in showbiz, she took on Fannie Flagg as a pseudonym.

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